FontForge and FontForge Edit:
While FontForge can use to create fonts, it is also capable of editing font sets already created by other users. This software provides an initial menu to allow you to modify existing font sets. It supports many different font formats and can even extract fonts from PDF documents.
This article discusses the differences between the two, as well as how to use each. Hopefully, you can now use FontForge to create your own custom fonts.
The OpenType feature file specification:
An OpenType feature file specification is a text format that contains advanced typographic information, such as DSIG tables. For example, a font containing a DSIG table will display with an OpenType icon in MS Windows. The OpenType specification also incorporates the older TrueType specification. If your font includes an OpenType feature, you will find it listed with an OpenType icon in your Fontforge download.
- To generate the OpenType feature file specification, first, download the software.
- Once you have downloaded it, click the “OpenType” button at the bottom right.
- You will prompt to enter your license key.
- Then, click OK and continue.
- The download will complete within a few minutes.
- If you’re unsure about the license terms, read the license agreement.
- There is a free version of FontForge available.
Scripting languages:
A number of commands in the Fontforge scripting language are available. They are described in the following sections. Each command has a corresponding argument, which may be either a name or a string. The’m’ and ‘c’ commands are used to specify the number of instances of each type of font.
A filename or string containing a single letter is a local variable. Both local and global variables can contain a single character. Historically, the FontForge source code included utilities such as the WOFF converter.
As a result, it supported many font formats, including Apple’s XML-based system and the native Spline Font Database format, which is text-based and facilitates collaboration between designers. It also supports the interoperable UFO source format, based on XML. This ensures a high level of font compatibility.
GUI:
- You can fine-tune FontForge in various ways.
- You can download it from the Cygwin home directory and open it with the Elements menu.
- From there, you can go to File | Font Info… to change the size of your font.
- You can then rename or move glyphs.
- Then, you can save them as True-type fonts.
- This feature is particularly handy for web designers.
- FontForge is available in various languages, including English and Japanese.
If you’re not familiar with FontForge, it’s a free software package distributed under the BSD license. The download is available for multiple operating systems and languages and includes fonts from both Mac and Windows. FontForge supports a variety of font formats, including OpenType, TrueType, PostScript, and OST. It also allows users to store fonts in their native spline font database files, which are sfd files.
Command-line:
To install FontForge on your Mac, you can follow these simple instructions.
- Firstly, log in to your Apple ID and fill in the required fields.
- Next, download the necessary libraries and tools required for Mountain Lion.
- Finally, you can create a shortcut in your Applications folder.
- FontForge will now open and allow you to create and edit fonts.
- Once installed, you can use the font editor to customize fonts and create new ones.
- After downloading and installing FontForge, open a terminal window and type the command: “ff”.
- The installation will be successful if no symbols are displayed.
- If you encounter errors while downloading the font, be sure to provide debugging information.
- This way, you can provide feedback to FontForge’s developers.
- If you have installed FontForge through a package repository, you will need to set your PATH variable.
- Once the variable is set, you can export it to other users.
Python module:
A FontForge Python module download can make it easier for Linux users to process and manipulate text with fonts. Once downloaded, FontForge can be run directly from the menu, console, or gnome terminal. This module host on GitHub, a source-code hosting service.
The application’s latest development version is available on GitHub. Some users may wish to compile their own version of the module. For more information, check out the Debugging section.
- To download the FontForge Python module, you should be using version 2.7 or higher.
- The source code of the FontForge Python module includes a number of utility programs, including a WOFF converter.
- FontForge supports a wide variety of font formats, including its native Spline Font Database (STD).
- This format is text-based and facilitates collaboration among designers.
- Additionally, FontForge supports the interoperable UFO source format, based on XML.
